Always
by TheSapphireSky
Summary: The aftermath for Sherlock and Molly, following the events of The Final Problem. *Spoilers ahead*


**My little follow-up to The Final Problem.** **Spoilers ahead.**

 _As the dust settled over the revelation of Euros' existence, Sherlock knew a change was coming. Not just in his family. The games Euros had orchestrated had left him emotionally compromised and his heart a bleeding wound._

 _Three days after his return to Baker Street, there came a knock on the door. And he knew his time of relief was over._

 _Taking a breath to brace himself, he strode to the door and opened it wide._

 _'Molly,' he greeted her and stepped back to let her in.  
_

 _Her lips were thinned and there were dark bags under her eyes. 'Hi, Sherlock.'  
_

 _'I assume you are here for answers.' He shut the door and turned to face her, his hands behind his back. To hide their shaking.  
_

 _To his surprise, she shook her head. 'No. No, I don't want answers. I don't know why you made me say... what I said. And I don't want to know.' She closed her eyes. 'I need to tell you something. And I need to tell you in person.'_

 _A sense of foreboding fell over him. 'Yes, what is it?'_

 _She straightened her shoulders and bravely looked him in the eyes. 'I'm leaving London.'_

oOo

Exhausted, muddy and a little bit bloody, Sherlock bid John goodnight as the doctor continued up the stairs to his rooms where Mrs Hudson was taking care of Rosie.

Quietly, Sherlock entered the lounge of 221B and breathed a sigh of relief. Home. A warmth spread across his chest.

oOo

 _'Sherlock, this isn't healthy,' John said as he bounced a crying Rosie up and down, trying to get the baby to settle down._

 _'I should say not,' Sherlock scowled and took the plastic teething ring from Rosie's mouth. 'Do you know the kind of bacteria that can grow on this?'  
_

 _John rolled his eyes and followed his friend into the kitchen and watched as he rummaged about in the freezer. 'That's not what I meant and you know it.'_

 _'Ah, ha!' Sherlock triumphantly produced a plastic bag containing a chilled silicone teething ring from the depths of the freezer.  
_

 _'Sherlock,' John hissed and patiently tried to hold his temper in. Rosie latched on to the cold ring and immediately settled down, her tears stopping. 'It's been two months and you're working yourself sick. You need to talk to her.'  
_

 _Sherlock ignored him and busied himself thinking of ways to dispose of the plastic teething rings. He scowled when John grabbed his arm and jerked him around._

 _'She's as miserable as you are, you know.'_

 _Against his will, his heart leaped in hope. 'She is?'_

 _John shook his head and grumbled, 'You both are far too stubborn for your own goods. Yes! Sherlock, she loves you! And you love her. And you let her go without letting her know you_ meant it! _She didn't have all the facts to make an informed decision.'_

oOo

Shrugging out of his muddy coat, Sherlock dropped it in the laundry bin by the door and kicked off his shoes. He left a trail of clothes to the bathroom and turned on the spray to the hottest setting he could stand.

oOo

 _The door opened to reveal a wide-eyed, suspicious Molly. She blanched at the dozen roses in his arms. 'Sherlock? What are you doing here?'_

 _'It was true. It was always true,' he answered softly. 'I just didn't realise it until I said it.'  
_

 _The remaining color in her face drained away and her eyes narrowed. 'Don't. Just... don't.' She made to close the door, but Sherlock caught it with his hand._

 _'Please. I don't know how to prove it to you and I know it is impossible to believe that someone like me could love at all, but I do. I do, Molly. I love you.'_

oOo

Scrubbed raw, Sherlock stepped out of the shower and dried himself off with a fluffy towel, tying it low around his waist. He left the steamy bathroom and picked up his trail of dirty clothes, depositing them in the second hamper by the bedroom door.

Letting himself into the moonlit room, he picked up the pyjama pants that were waiting, neatly folded, on top of the bureau dresser and slipped them on.

oOo

 _She hadn't said it again, as if she was afraid to break the spell. She showed her love in caring for him after he broke his arm on a case, by bringing him body parts to keep him from boredom, by being his sounding board, and in so many more ways._

 _But she never said the words._

 _They were going on seven months together, three weeks since she moved in to Baker Street, and Sherlock feared she would never say them. He cursed his sister for poisoning the words in Molly's mind and cursed himself greater for giving Molly so much cause for doubt._

 _He'd said them often, to reassure her and himself. She was growing comfortable hearing it from him and no longer tensed when he said it. He knew she believed him, deep in her heart, but she was still afraid._

 _It was his turn to babysit Rosie this day while John and Molly were at work. He had just set her in her cot for her nap and kissed her head when he heard someone behind him._

 _Spinning around to defend Rosie from the intruder, he blanched at seeing Molly standing in the doorway. She was still dressed in her work clothes and lab coat, her hair in disarray. She was wringing her hands and biting her lip._

 _'Molly, what are you doing here? Are you okay?' He ran his gaze over her, but could deduce nothing wrong.  
_

 _'I love you.'  
_

 _Time slowed down._ _His heart thundered in his ears._

 _'I love you,' she repeated, stronger and with more conviction. 'I've always loved you, it's always been you, Sherlock.'_

 _In an instant, he had crossed the room and wrapped her in his arms. Her arms came around his neck and she clung tightly to him._

 _'I love you, I love you,' she repeated, kissing his clavicle, his neck, his jaw, his cheek. Sherlock memorized each word and each kiss before capturing her mouth with his.  
_

 _'I love you, too,' he whispered when they parted for breath.  
_

 _Molly smiled, her eyes crinkling and tears falling. A soft contentment shone in her eyes. 'I know.'_

oOo

With a groan of absolute relief, Sherlock laid down on the bed and immediately his body melted into the mattress.

Next to him, Molly opened her eyes sleepily and turned over, her arm slinging over his chest. 'Hi.'

Sherlock smiled and tugged her to his side. 'Hi.'

She snuggled against him and breathed in deeply. No other words were needed as perfect contentment swept over them and pulled them into deep sleep, their arms wrapped around each other.


End file.
